Cat Got Your Tongue?
by elvenangel3
Summary: "Back off." Lightning ordered with all the authority military training had given her. Kadaj obeyed at the end of her gunblade. You don't mess with someone's mate.


Roxas cried out as he was abruptly swung into the brick wall of an alley. He glanced up and narrowed his eyes at the spitting angry neko in front of him.

"What the hell Kadaj?" He hissed.

Kadaj's silver ears flicked back and forth as he pushed against Roxas.

"You haven't been to see me lately," The taller male accused.

Roxas glowered and lashed his tail.

"That would be on purpose. You know I have a mate." The blonde cat retorted.

Kadaj sneered and lowered his face mere inches away.

"I would be a much better mate than that fool."

Roxas snarled at the affront to his partner and lashed his fist out to cross Kadaj's cheek. The tom cat reared back and Roxas darted past him, only to be caught by his tail. Kadaj mercilessly snapped the appendage back, sending Roxas to his knees in agony. A pained scream tore from the blonde's lips as Kadaj used his leverage to drag him back several feet, putting a foot onto his back and adding weight against him.

"Let me go!" Roxas pleaded hysterically as the other wrenched his tail again. Burning pain radiated up the sensitive base all the way through his spine. Tears burned his eyes and he cried out again.

"Hey!"

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Two furious voices cut into Roxas's haze of pain and he blinked the wetness away to see two male canines coming toward them rapidly. Kadaj ceased pulling but did not move off of him.

"How dare you?" The brunette growled.

"He's my mate, I can do whatever I wish to him." Kadaj lied easily.

"As if one would ever treat their mate this way." The black haired one shot back.

They moved forward aggressively and Kadaj released Roxas to back away from the brunette, the black haired one leaned down to help Roxas to his feet quickly. The canine wagged his tail in a friendly manner at Roxas before pushing the neko safely behind him.

"I would leave him alone if I were you," the brunette snarled at Kadaj, he shot a look at Roxas and noted his free hanging tail, "He obviously has a real mate and I would guess they would be looking for revenge for this."

"You know nothing, _mutt_." Kadaj hissed, ears flat back.

The brunette snapped his teeth and Kadaj took the hint to retreat the other direction.

Roxas whimpered and rubbed his chest, trying to get his breathing to regulate. The brunette stepped up to the other two and offered the same friendly smile the taller one had.

"You okay?" He asked with concern.

"Yeah, I think so." Roxas replied shakily. Pain continued to spasm down his tail and he didn't even want to try touching it.

"I'm Zack, this is my brother Terra." The black haired boy introduced them.

"Roxas, thanks for your help." The blonde answered blinking up at them.

"Do you need some help getting home?" Zack asked, giving the shaking feline a once over.

Roxas sniffed delicately, they seemed as sincere as their words, so he agreed readily. The brothers carefully ushered him out of the alley and he led them south down the street, where he had been initially going before Kadaj jumped him.

They made simple small talk on the way, occasionally one or the other would give Roxas a steadying hand on the shoulder. The blonde let his pained tail hang limp behind him and his ears twisted to the side, sure he looked as pathetic as he felt. He just wanted his mate.

"Roxas!"

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, Roxas thought grimly. He looked up to see his mate flying toward them with the speed and grace born of their race. Thinking quickly he shot from between the canines who were on alert, to latch onto Axel as he skidded to a stop. Axel immediately gathered Roxas into his arms and turned livid eyes on the brothers, tail snapping and ears back.

"They saved me from Kadaj." Roxas breathed before his mate could get any more worked up.

Axel paused and relaxed his stance, squeezing the blonde even tighter.

"Thank you." The redhead said and bowed his head slightly.

Zack and Terra mimicked him formally, it was of course expected.

"We knew that bastard wasn't really this little one's mate like he claimed," Axel hissed in outrage "When we saw him yanking on his tail." Zack spoke with a fierce kind of loyalty.

Roxas held up his sore tail for inspection and Axel gingerly took hold, running his hands tenderly over the fur feeling for breaks. Roxas purred quietly and leaned into his chest. Zack and Terra shared a knowing, yet lonely look.

"What it must be like to have a mate." Terra whispered.

After a few minutes the brother excused themselves, telling Roxas to look after himself and Axel told them to call should they ever need anything. The two smiled merrily and went on their way.

"Can we go to my brothers'? They should know what happened," Roxas glanced up at his redhead.

Axel kissed him very softly, "Of course."

Roxas was two steps inside the door before Sora would have bowled him over, had Axel not held out an arm to stop the brunette.

"What's wrong!?" Sora asked anxiously.

Ventus and Vanitas were just in the background looking worried as well.

"That prick Kadaj attacked him." Axel voiced before Roxas could.

The other three feline's expressions darkened.

"He initiated contact." Roxas muttered, embarrassed and upset.

Sora and Ven gasped in outrage, Vanitas cursed. It was completely forbidden to touch the tail of anyone besides either your mate or a close relative, that the silverette had done so spoke volumes about his heinous character.

"Axel," Cloud's voice came from the garage.

He gave Roxas a quick kiss then strode quickly down the hallway to meet the quadruplet's older brother. Sora pulled Roxas over to the couch and they all sat down.

"Are you alright? Were there any fractures?" Ven asked, being a pre-med he was concerned about his twin's physical welfare as much as emotional.

"Axel went over it carefully, I think I'm alright." Roxas offered and leaned his head onto Sora's shoulder tiredly. Ven reached out to brush over said appendage nonetheless, to see for himself. Vanitas glared at the carpet over the injustice of it.

Out in the garage Axel finished retelling the story to Cloud, the blonde putting his ears forward and stiffening his wolf tail in agitation.

"That bastard. I'm going to have to talk to Sephiroth about this." The older man cursed furiously.

Axel crossed his arms, "You sure about that?"

Cloud rounded on the redhead with cold blue eyes, "He's my brother, of course I have to."

Axel dipped his head in understanding and Cloud relaxed a bit.

"It's unacceptable that he pursue Roxas when clearly he is already mated. It must run in the family." He added lowly with a growl and Axel pretended not to hear.

"I'll leave it to you then, but you might want to mention to Sephiroth that if _I _ever catch his brother touching my mate . . ." Axel didn't feel the need to finish, Cloud surely felt the same way. The blonde indeed nodded agreement, then went to start his bike. Axel turned back to the house as Cloud sped out onto the street to go deal with the Jenova family.

Axel came back into the living room and couldn't help his grin at seeing his mate surrounded by his protective brothers. Roxas had his eyes closed but flicked the tip of his tail at the redhead in greeting.

"I would have gone with him." Vanitas muttered, his pupils dilated still.

"A lot of good you would have done, launching yourself at Sephiroth as if you have rabies." Axel snorted and crossed the room.

Roxas climbed off the couch instantly and stepped into Axel's arms, Vanitas following him up in the same instant.

"Don't act all high and mighty, you weren't even there when-" The black haired twin was cut off as Roxas rounded on him.

"Don't you dare Vanitas! It's not Axel's fault I was by myself." Roxas all but hissed.

Vanitas bristled right back at him.

"Just because he's your mate doesn't mean-"

"Yes it does!" Roxas interrupted again, "It means everything that he's my mate, don't be stupid."

Vanitas rumbled angrily causing Ven and Sora to stand up and get between the two.

"Knock it off the pair of you." They said together.

Vanitas snarled and spun to go to his room, Roxas glared after his retreating back.

"You know he's just jealous, but don't use the mating fact against him." Sora reprimanded the blonde quietly.

Roxas snorted, "Jealous my tail, he couldn't care less that he doesn't have one, he hates mine and yours."

Sora laughed in spite of himself, "Riku doesn't like him either."

Cloud had barely turned off the engine of his bike before he was knocking on Sephiroth's door with energy radiating off him. It took only a moment for the elegant lynx to answer the door with a cool eyebrow raised.

"Cloud, what a pleasure." Sephiroth drawled.

"Don't play coy, you know why I'm here. This has to stop, Axel won't allow it and neither will I. If Roxas sees Kadaj one more time I'm telling his mate where you live." Cloud did not make idle threats.

"I'm hardly in charge of my brother's dalliances." Sephiroth replied leaning against the door causally, Cloud noticed those green eyes slide over his form hungrily.

"Don't even." Cloud barked at him.

Sephiroth chuckled.

"I am aware you have a mate now, don't take it so personally."

Right before Cloud had found Leon, Sephiroth pursued him with single minded persistence, which was almost unheard of seeing as you recognize your true mate in an instant, the older neko had gone so far as to initiate contact with the blonde; Cloud had responded by putting him in the hospital without hesitation. He was always uneasy seeing the silverette after the fact.

"What's he doing here?" Kadaj suddenly appeared behind Sephiroth with haughty tones.

"We're discussing that perhaps you should set your sights on someone rather than Roxas, I hear his lookalike twin is unmated." Sephiroth voiced, his eyes locked on Cloud's.

The blonde's tail stiffened at the nerve of the cat.

"You initiating contact on Roxas was more than enough, if you come after Ventus . . ." Cloud took a calculated step forward, daring Sephiroth to step in the way, "You won't have further need to go around trying to steal mates." His voice was barely audible in its seriousness.

Kadaj swallowed hard at the threat and threw a look at his brother.

"If you are finished," Sephiroth said coldly, moving his arm across Cloud's chest, the blonde avoided his touch by backing quickly out the door. Sephiroth slammed it in his face. Cloud grumbled at the door, message delivered then. He turned to head back home.

The next day, the quadruplet's and their two mates, as well as Cloud were wandering around the mall in search of suitable entertainment. Axel and Roxas, tails entwined were lazily scanning the latest releases in video games, Vanitas was close by digging through the clearance rack. Sora and Riku were playing the demo games by the window and Ven was watching, waiting for his turn. Cloud had disappeared to the upper floors, to meet up with Leon.

"This is stupid, there are better ways to spend a Saturday," Vanitas muttered under his breath coming to stand next to Ven. "Than with these damn lovebirds."

Ven sighed and knocked his shoulder into his twin's.

"Why must you always go on about the fact that they have mates? Does it really bother you to see our brothers happy?" Ven was getting fed up with his attitude.

"It's been six months! They both have one and where are we?" Vanitas spat.

The four other cats in the store pricked their ears around at his tone.

"Don't tell me you actually want a mate for yourself? You hardly-"

"Of course I do!" Vanitas exploded angrily, Ven took a step back in surprise.

"You of all of us should realize that, but still you think just because I'm an asshole I want to be alone forever. So happy I'm understood." Vanitas gritted his teeth. Ven opened his mouth to apologize but his twin had already stalked away. The blonde looked down miserably, he hadn't meant to upset his brother so.

"C'mon, lets go meet up with Cloud." Sora spoke softly as the others came over.

Ven looked at his and Roxas's face, at least they didn't get mad at him, he knew they thought the same. Really though, that just made him feel worse like they were all against Vanitas. The group of felines left the game store and sauntered down the open hallway heading for the escalators. Ven was twirling his plastic bag, filled with several books around his wrist when he suddenly stopped dead, pupils dilated. Roxas glanced over his shoulder as he heard the footfalls stop and gasped in delight. They all spun in time to see Ven drop his bag and almost manically start sniffing, and spinning in a circle.

"Oh my god!" Sora whispered excitedly. Riku shushed him by tugging his ear.

Nearby shoppers ceased their chatter and movements out of respect for the blonde who was now making his way quickly down the path heading east. His group quickly followed him, Roxas snatching up his discarded merchandize.

Four floors down, in the food court a blonde was talking cheerily to her two friends. Rikku was going on about a movie she had just seen, Yuna nodding along while Lightning looked bored. The pink haired canine suddenly shot up from her seat, sending the metal chair scraping across the floor with a screech that hurt everyone's ears. Her companions fell silent in sudden awe as she quickly took stock of the surrounding scents before finding the one of pure ambrosia.

"My mate is here." She stated without inflection, but her eyes gave her away.

Lightning quickly spun to follow the smell of her chosen, Rikku and Yuna scrambling after her amid silent well-wishers. The pink haired woman trotted quickly past the crowds who had noticed the event happening around them and moved out of her way. Lightning's light pink tail was straight as a board as her anxiety, inner excitement and shock sky rocketed. She couldn't believe she had found her mate, her friends even teased her that she was too off-putting to ever have one. A notion she secretly feared, but clearly she just hadn't been in the right place at the right time.

Ven had started jogging moments before he ran up to the elevators. He nearly shrieked in despair.

"I can't find their scent!" The blonde turned to his family frantically.

"It's okay," Roxas said softly stepping forward to press the button for the closest elevator, "That just means they went to a different floor, we'll check each one."

Ven gave a sharp nod and all but threw himself through the doors, had it been any situation besides a mate finding the others may have laughed, as it was all were far too pleased as well as surprised to think about it. The group methodically stopped at every floor to let Ven decipher if he could find the right pheromone of his mate. Each floor that was empty wrenched a soft cry from the blonde, making it hard to watch. At the first floor Ven gave an exclamation and shot out of the elevator, the rest hurriedly following.

Lightning knew her mate was very close, the rest of the world had funneled into a narrow channel and she knew nothing else. Had she been capable of paying attention she may have throttled Rikku who had noticed a large group of shoppers in her friend's way and called out loudly, "Hey! Mate finding in progress! Shove off!" Yuna looked highly affronted and slapped her hand over her cousin's mouth, while the group of teens quickly bowed out of the way, mortified.

Ven stalled suddenly, his posture snapping straight and turned his head slowly. His eyes locked onto a pink colored canine across the small fountain, and suddenly his world was filled with the most brilliant color. He moved reverently towards her, his new mate, his everything.

Lightning couldn't have imagined her mate looking more flawless than the angelic blonde feline walking towards her with sure steps. She drank him in as the distance shortened to three feet, two and they reached out simultaneously for each others hands. Right in front of her and three inches shorter was perfection in any form. They leaned forward to sniff delicately at the others cheeks back and forth several times, memorizing scent and learning the most important thing about the other. Ven ducked his head to nuzzle under Lightning's chin and purr in adoration. Lightning reached around Ven to pull him snugly into her arms and hummed quietly.

"Well, a submissive to a female huh? That suits him." Vanitas mumbled.

"Let's go find Cloud, he'll be sorry he missed it." Sora said looking around.

"I'd have to be half dead to have missed that," Cloud deadpanned.

They turned to see the oldest brother not feet from them, his lion mate by his side, tufted tail wrapped loosely around Cloud's wrist.

"Get over yourself before you ruin this for him." He shot sternly to Vanitas, who colored in shame. "Were he in shape to pay attention to anyone but her he would have easily heard you."

Vanitas looked away. They all averted their eyes carefully from him, as well as the new mates giving their respect.

"Come, I'm sure his dominant will see him home when they're ready." Cloud commanded the group, no one argued.

It was several hours before the front door opened to reveal Ven, looking deliriously happy with the unknown woman at his side. Sora, Roxas and Cloud stepped forward, Vanitas had confined himself to his room so not to cause a spectacle. Ven pulled his tail away from the pink canine's and took one step forward.

"Beloved, these are my brothers, Sora, Roxas and Cloud. The fourth quadruplet is around . . . somewhere." Ven obviously was hurt by Vanitas's absence, but accepted it. "Everyone, this is Lightning."

Lightning nodded to the two nekos and bowed slightly to Cloud, they responded in kind. Ven smiled widely and turned to grab her hand in his.

"My mate Riku, and Roxas's mate Axel." Sora gestured to the other two in the room.

"Riku? My obnoxious friend shares the same name." Lightning spoke for the first time. They were surprised at the stoicism in her voice, so different from Ven.

"Will you be staying for dinner?" Sora offered.

Lightning looked to Ven and her whole face softened, it was a startling contrast to a moment before.

"I cannot tonight," she spoke to the blonde. Ven's face fell and she leaned over to press a kiss to his lips. "I will see you tomorrow, my love."

The whole room knew without a doubt such a sentiment had never been spoken by the woman before. Ven gave a quiet rumble and returned her kiss in agreement. The others made their way to the kitchen to give the two some privacy, grins firmly in place.

"I must introduce you to my family, until then know that I'll miss you." She spoke quietly in Ven's ear, lest the whole house hear them.

"Are you sure you have to go Light?" The blonde pressed soft kisses against the column of her throat. Her tail moved lazily from side to side in pleasure and she tilted her head at the attention. Ven's arms tightened around her middle as if to keep her from leaving. Light wasn't in such a hurry as to deprive her new mate of affection. She lowered one hand to rub at the base of his tail and he purred into her neck, nimbly moving it around to be easier to grasp. Light ran her hand gently over his fur and pulled it around her waist, then lifted Ven's chin so she could claim his lips again.

He surrendered readily to her and pressed himself against her solid form, at one point he may have been embarrassed to be the weaker of a mated pair with a female but having met Light, the thought was silly.

They heard pots and pans banging around in the kitchen and broke apart, apparently it was nearing dinner time. Light looked chagrined that she had to leave, and that was enough reassurance for Ven to let her go. She smiled softly at him before she closed the door, he could hear her retreating footsteps on the walk.

"Well, what do you think?" He asked his family as he entered the kitchen.

"She's really pretty." Sora piped up immediately.

"She looks more than capable of looking after you." Cloud said, not looking away from the pot boiling on the stove.

Ven grinned at the others who nodded agreement.

"At least Cloud won't be so outnumbered anymore." Vanitas said gruffly from the doorway.

Ven turned to catch his gaze hopefully, Vanitas wasn't glaring at least, that was pretty positive coming from him.

"Oh, I bet you find a dog as well." Axel mentioned slyly.

Vanitas huffed in annoyance and left, one more argument dealt with.

A few weeks later, everything had settled down, besides the process of moving Ventus in with Lightning and her kicking her current roommate, Rikku out. It was expected however, once you found your mate you couldn't bear to go without them for very long, so the blonde girl took it with good humor.

Ven was on his way to the post office to change his address and escape some of the heavy lifting, Axel and Riku could handle it he thought with mischief. Plus, he was pretty sure Light was coming to meet him for lunch downtown and he liked to be early. There was something greatly fulfilling about walking down the street with his tail swinging proudly.

"There you are." A malicious voice snarled and Ven felt hands grabbing him suddenly off the street.

In the same m.o, as before Kadaj swung Ven into the wall harshly. The blonde gasped and looked up at him in recognition. Kadaj however, glared down at him opening his mouth to speak but stopped short.

"You? When did you find a mate?" He hissed at the other neko.

Ven was fairly confused at this point, did he think he was Roxas?

"A few weeks ago." Ven said slowly, not sure why it mattered.

"I thought you were Roxas, Ven is supposed to be unmated." Kadaj stared down at his tail in accusation.

"Well, this Ven does have a mate." Ven responded, annoyed at his gall.

Kadaj closed his eyes in frustration. Ven couldn't fathom his reasoning, surely he would fine his own, real mate when the time came? The blonde slowly slid away from his assailant, hoping Kadaj wouldn't notice his sudden departure. The silverette's hands shot out, caging Ven between them and blinked open slitted pupils dangerously.

"Your brother got lucky last time, I'm not letting you get away." He hissed.

Kadaj swooped in and kissed Ven fiercely, the blonde gave a squeal and tried to shove him off. Kadaj wouldn't be budged and began tugging on his clothes lewdly. Ven scratched and kicked but Kadaj didn't seem to feel his onslaught, stopping only when a rush of air and metallic clang vibrated next to their heads. Ven froze in shock and Kadaj whipped around to stare down the blade of Lightning, brimming with fury. They both glanced sideways at the military issued hunting knife embedded in the brick, not three inches from Kadaj's head.

"Back away." Lightning ordered with all the authority that military training had given her.

Kadaj obeyed at the end of her gunblade, instead of letting him leave she stalked forward, backing him into the wall. Light gestured and Ven quickly shot forward to step behind her. Her ears showed her angry intent and Kadaj didn't say a word.

"This is not a warning, but a promise, should you interfere again with our family," Light swished her blade carefully and half the fur on Kadaj's tail was sheared off, he shrieked. "My blade will not stop at your skin."

He nodded furiously, eyes dilated with submission. Light cocked her head and he obeyed, running past them towards the street. Lightning made sure to nick his legs with her weapon as he left causing Kadaj to cry out and leave a small trail of blood after him. They didn't feel sorry for him.

Ven pressed himself into Light's back and wrapped his arms around her. She carefully holstered her gunblade, and ran her hands over his form.

"Are you injured?" She asked worriedly.

He shook his head and allowed himself to be pulled around to hug her properly.

"I'm fine, Light." He reassured and slipped his tail around her waist.

She sighed and kissed him lightly.

"Apparently, your brothers were right." Amusement slipped into her tone.

Ven glanced up curiously.

"Guarding you will be a full time job." Light pronounced, and kissed him before he could reply.

* * *

Yes, I wrote a neko story. Cause they're cute and completely unrealistic. Don't judge me...


End file.
